Rural Housing Week 2021 – Work set to start on rural housing development
News from our partners – The Wrekin Housing Group
Work on a new community-led rural housing development in Prees is set to get underway later this month.
Local residents are working with The Wrekin Housing Group and Shropshire Council, to put the final touches to plans for the affordable housing development, which will see 27 new energy efficient homes built.
The development will offer a mix of one, two and three-bedroom houses and bungalows that will be available for affordable rent and shared ownership. Priority will be given to people with a connection to the local area
Proposed layout of the Prees site
The announcement coincides with Rural Housing Week. The theme this year is committed to rural communities – highlighting organisations’ dedication to providing affordable homes that keep vital rural services alive.
Shropshire has a shortage of affordable housing, due largely to the widening gap between average household incomes and average property prices throughout the county. To help tackle this issue, Shropshire Council set up the Right Home, Right Place initiative, which runs surveys in each parish across Shropshire to identify and address the housing needs of its residents.
A project board, which is made up of local residents and volunteers, members of Prees Parish Council, Shropshire Council and The Wrekin Housing Group, was established to oversee the development.
Back Row – (L-R) Councillor Raymond Hirons (Chair, Prees Parish Council) & Ian Henderson (Prees resident and member of the Project Board).
Front Row (L-R) Charlotte Prince (Project Manager, The Wrekin Housing Group) & Carol Clarke (Housing Enabling and Development Officer, Shropshire Council)
Charlotte Prince, Project Manager at The Wrekin Housing Group said:
We are delighted to be able to shortly start work on the Whitchurch Road development, which will provide high quality homes for local people.
Due to their complexity, rural schemes of this nature are difficult to progress so it’s testament to the fantastic support we receive from our partners which is bringing these developments to fruition.
This is great site for new housing which will provide the homes the area needs to meet local demand and also help sustain local services.
Councillor Raymond Hirons, Chair of Prees Parish Council said:
I am delighted that we are nearing the start date for work to commence on these much-needed homes in Prees. Ensuring we can provide genuinely affordable housing options ensures rural communities likes ours can remain sustainable for future generations.
I would also like to recognise the work of our residents and volunteers, who form a large part of the project board. They have given up their own time and continue to work tirelessly to ensure that local housing need is met.
Councillor Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for Physical Infrastructure, Highways and Built Housing added:
We are committed to reducing the shortage of affordable housing in Shropshire. It’s fantastic to be able to support parish councils and help them partner with suitable housing providers to deliver high quality housing for communities across Shropshire.
Affordable housing is in growing demand throughout Shropshire, as it is in many other parts of the UK, primarily due to the widening gap between the average household income and the average house price.
In Whitchurch town, the average house price is £180,000, while the average household income is £26,865, making a typical house price 6.7 times more than the average income.
In Prees specifically, the affordability ratio of 7 is even higher, and since mortgage multipliers are typically based on 4 times the household income, it’s currently very difficult, if not impossible, for local people to buy a home in their area.
